Rally, Rally, Rally.

If It Weren't For The Chill ...... in the air this morning, we would have thought that today was a day in the middle of spring, what with the ovewhelming number of rallies and press events on the schedule..The minimum wage folks plead their case at noon. Dental hygenists are in town today to make the case for better dental care for the poor. There's a half-dozen Senate committee meetings and at least one public hearing in the House.All this activity might actually fool us into thinking that there's actual governance going on today by THE SECOND-BEST PAID LEGISLATURE IN THE LAND (tm). But the House is in a non-voting special sessioAn today, while the Senate starts its regular session sometime after the lunch hour languor starts to fade.

And You're Who, Again?It's easy to forget sometimes that there's another Democrat trying to unseat U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa.But longshot candidate Chuck Pennacchio says he, and not state Treasurer Bob Casey Jr., has the best shot of sending Santorum back to Pittsburgh next year. Never mind the fact that he doesn't have any cash, and few people even know who he is."If we don't hit the brakes, if we don't turn this
country around, we will become an authoritarian, one-party system of
rule," Pennacchio told the Bucks County Courier Times.. "Everything's at stake. Democrats need to wise up and
say, 'We want our party, and our country, back.' "Unlike some of our brethren, Capitol Ideas likes the fact that ideological candidates such as Pennacchio are in the race. It's a reminder that regular folks, and not just the politically annointed, can run for office.

Frying Pan, Fire Dept.Seems like state House Speaker John M. Perzel, R-Philadelphia, can't go anywhere these days without irritating someone. In early September, he lashed out at reporters during a press conference aimed at touting a new education plan. A few weeks later, he managed to alienate the state's agricultural community with some unjudicious remarks about the wages of cow milkers.Then, last week, he was caught fibbing to a room full of fourth-graders about whether he'd traveled to a Pittsbugh school in a limousine or a car. To be fair, it wasn't a limo, but a really fancy car ... you get the idea.Thus we find the Philadlephia Inquirerexplaining the depth of anguish in still-struggling southwestern Pennsylvania over this summer's legislative pay raise."It's not surprising that folks here
feel they are paying too much for government and not getting much in
return," one observer told the Inky. "There is that feeling that government just
hasn't kept its promises."

In The Blogosphere:Keystone Politics on Bill Scranton's gubernatorial launch party in Scranton last night; GrassrootsPa on GOP gov wannabe Jim Panyard's call for a "no" vote in next month's judicial retention elections; A Smoke-Filled Room's political round-up; Fables Of The Reconstruction on how WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE FROM THE HIDEOUS BIRD FLU! THE END IS NIGH, WE TELL YOU!; Daily Kos gets all misty-eyed at the prospect of an indictment for Dick Cheney; We'll miss the National Review'sDavid Frum after the Bush administration has him deported back to Canada for continually writing bad stuff about Harriet Miers; This may shock you, but Red State thinks the Democrats have it wrong; PowerLine on the start of the Saddam Hussein trial; Wonkette's daily briefing; DCist has our picture of the morning; Judy Miller -- a cancer on the New York Times?; Attytood piles on as well and James Wolcott somehow manages to wax rhapsodic about punk rock and modern dance at the same time.

On The Capitol Ideas iPod This Morning:We're rocking a homemade mix of summery tunes this morning that includes offerings from The Beach Boys, Harry Belafonte, R.E.M., Rhett Miller (Old 97's); The BoDeans, Badfinger, The Thorns and Bob Mould. It may be time for apple cider, but right now, we're thinking about the beach.

Tuesday's Gratuitous Soccer Link:Manchester United takes on French team Lille in Champion's League play this afternoon. Game time is 7:45 p.m. English time, 2:45 p.m. EDT. Click the above link for The Guardian's usually fantastic minute-by-minute match report.

Current Comments

>>You should know by now that this 'blog does not exist to delve into matters of actual substance. It's here for gossip, slander and whatever else takes our fancy.<<

As long as we all know the ground rules... :-)

Posted By: Erik Arneson | Oct 19, 2005 11:10:59 AM

Erik:
I'm surprised at you. You should know by now that this 'blog does not exist to delve into matters of actual substance. It's here for gossip, slander and whatever else takes our fancy.
And don't even get me started about United's failure to put the ball in the net last night. Seven corners and they don't capitalize on any of them??
Appalling.

Posted By: Capitol Ideas | Oct 19, 2005 9:21:21 AM

On an unrelated note, how does Man U get 7 corners and 0 points? What's the normal ratio?

Posted By: Erik Arneson | Oct 18, 2005 9:33:23 PM

John,

For the record, here’s just a portion of what the Senate did today, which apparently does not meet your definition of “actual governance.”

* We amended a bill related to the privacy of social security numbers, preparing it for likely final passage tomorrow (SB 601, Wonderling).

* The Appropriations Committee approved a bill to implement the Military Family Relief Assistance Program, preparing it for likely final passage next week (HB 1179, R. Miller).

* Established the Committee on Legislation for the Special Session Property Taxes, which will have a public hearing tomorrow (chaired by Sen. Wenger) to discuss the governor's plan, Sen. Jubelirer's plan, and Sen. Mellow's plan.

I admit to great confusion as to how this does not constitute “actual governance.”

Thank you for reading.

Cheers,
Erik Arneson
Chief of Staff to the Senate Majority Leader

Posted By: Erik Arneson | Oct 18, 2005 9:12:15 PM

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